An Altered Thread
by Katie Bell
Summary: What happens to a tapestry if a single thread is disturbed? What happens to a world where Tom Riddle is a force for good?
1. A Tangled Skein

**"Pureblood Supremacists strike family in Godric's Hollow, No Injuries"**

** **

"In the past year, the Pureblood Movement, a shadowy band of wizards, have been terrorizing muggle-born and mixed-blood families. Last night they struck again, against James Potter, head of the Department for Muggle Liaisons, and his wife Lily.Neither was injured, and the couple's four children were away for the weekend.Apparently the Ministry had been warned of the attempt before hand and several Hit Wizards were on hand; unfortunately all of the attackers escaped, although several may have been injured.Anyone who has any information about the Pureblood Movement is asked to report it to the Ministry of Magic. 

**"Minister Riddle assures us that the Ministry is taking all possible actions, and urges the public not to panic. 'We have made great strides in improving wizard-Muggle relations in the past fifty years. The actions of these misguided few must not be emphasized; they simply want to take us back to the days of Muggle-baiting and witch-burnings. We cannot allow them to succeed.'"**

-_The Daily Prophet, August 7, 1993_

_ _

_ _

# Somewhere in England, August 7

## 

_ _

"This camp is a wonderful idea!" Hermione enthused to Harry, Ron and Neville. "I can't believe you three didn't want to come!"

"I wouldn't have if my dad hadn't made me," Ron grumbled."Spending the whole summer with Muggles – and no magic! No fun. And," he grimaced, "Draco Malfoy is coming."

"Malfoy?How come?" Neville looked surprised."My dad said that his dad would never let him come."

"Well, he was wrong, I'm afraid. Try not to get into a fistfight with him, though, Neville," Hermione suggested. "Is your sister coming?"

"Yeah, but she'll be off with Ginny and Colin, no doubt."Neville sighed. "You're lucky not having any sisters, Hermione."

"I'd like one, though," she insisted."You like Cara, don't you, Harry?"

"Yeah, but she's a lot younger than I am, and I don't see her that much since I started Hogwarts," Harry said, speaking at last."My brothers are fun though."

"See?" Hermione said triumphantly."Anyway, let's find your cabin.I've already put my trunk in mine, and met my roommates."

"Who've you got?" Neville looked interested.

"Padma, and her Hufflepuff sister Parvati," Hermione said."And three Muggle girls, Laura, Eve, and Sue."

"Well, at least we all know each other," Ron said gloomily."I'm betting we get some Muggle who's afraid of wizards."

"No," said Harry."Sirius is in charge of this whole thing, remember? He screened all the applicants."The foursome was moving off in search of Cabin Hippogriff-7.

"Right.I can just see your godfather interview Muggles.He got his staff to do it, right?" Ron rolled his eyes."He'd probably hex a couple just to see how they'd take it."

"Well," Harry began, and the other three laughed. "Yeah, he did have his staff do the work. But he set the guidelines. Besides, he was told not to hex anyone."

"Right.Who told him that?Your dad, Dumbledore, and Minister Riddle are the only people he listens to. And his wife. I know, my dad told me."Neville grinned widely.Frank Longbottom had a high level position in the Office of Magical Law Enforcement, and Sirius Black was well known to that department.

"If it weren't for his not-inconsiderable charm, not to mention his position with the Ministry, he'd have been arrested years ago."

"Hermione, stop talking like you swallowed a book," Ron said, swinging his wand around and watching a few Muggles duck nervously.

"Ron, you shouldn't.And I don't," Hermione scolded and defended herself at the same time."Ah, here you three are. I'll leave you for now.See you at dinner!"

_London, August 7._

_ _

"I cannot believe those idiots had the audacity to attack you and Lily, James!"Sirius slammed a hand down on the long wooden table.James and Remus were seated, an empty chair between them. The three men were waiting for others to assemble, and Sirius was taking the opportunity to vent."Riddle really ought to do something about that Malfoy."

"We have no proof," Remus interjected.Sirius threw up his hands.James looked as if he were about to say something but Sirius plowed on.

"He speaks against wizard-Muggle relations every time a new proposal comes up.He's against everything progressive- you ought to know, Remus, he was fighting against the Wolfsbane Project hard enough – he's spoken of the 'superiority of pureblood wizards' – what more proof do we need?"

"I'm afraid, Sirius, that while I share your opinions, many of our colleagues do not, and the wizarding community at large will demand more substantial proof."The warm, powerful voice came from the door; Sirius spun around to face it. 

"Minister Riddle!" he said."I didn't know you were there."

"It doesn't matter, Sirius, but try to keep your passion down just a little, please.There are people I can't afford to alienate at this point."

"I'm sorry, sir."Sirius looked it, and sat down between his friends, who had both turned to see Riddle. The tall man, handsome and looking far younger than his nearly seventy years, addressed James.

"I heard that you and Lily were all right; do you need anything that I can provide?"

"No, thank you, Minister."James smiled."The warning was more than enough; I had these two on hand," he gestured at Sirius and Remus, "and between the four of us we sent the enemy running."His easy words did not match the worried expression on his face. There was not yet any explanation of why the Potters had been attacked. 

"Tail between their legs," Sirius added, his former spirits seemingly regained.

"Yes."James glared briefly at his friend, and continued."Harry and the twins were already heading off for this camp of yours, and we sent Cara to see her grandparents. They love all our children dearly, even if they aren't always prepared for their slippers turning into cats."

"Oh, I'd forgotten your wife was Muggle-born."Riddle smiled."That is the kind of thing I'm talking about in all my speeches about co-operation and co-existence."

"No offense, Minister, but you're preaching to the choir here."James smiled back."Who else will be at this meeting, incidentally?"

"Dumbledore, of course, and Longbottom. Rookwood – Department of Mysteries, do you three know him?" They nodded their assent."And Arthur Weasley, naturally.That's all; I needed men I could trust."

"Weasley's a good man," Remus remarked."One who could easily be overlooked, though."

"I know."Riddle sat down at the head of the table.As if it was a signal, the door opened again and the four remaining men appeared.Arthur Weasley, his hand on the door, gestured for Dumbledore to go first.The old man took his place next to Riddle.Frank Longbottom sat on James' left side; Rookwood and Arthur Weasley seated themselves on the other side of the table.

"Thank you all for coming," Riddle said when they'd all settled."I'm sure you all know why I called you here."He took a sip of the glass of water in front of him as the others nodded. "Rookwood, have you any information for us?"

"I'm afraid not, Minister.My informant has identified a few low-level members of the Pureblood Movement, but I'm leaving them alone for fear of revealing him.He's also sure that Lucius Malfoy is leading the movement but can't get me any proof, even a look at Malfoy's face."

Riddle sighed."I was afraid of that.Rely our thanks to him, however, especially for the warning about last night."

"Lily and I second that thanks," James interjected.Rookwood smiled and nodded.

"Frank?"Riddle turned to him.

"I'm afraid we've turned up nothing through our channels. All the usual suspects have been toeing the line perfectly the last few weeks; we've conducted a few raids and haven't even turned up shrinking doorkeys."Frank looked disgusted.

"Professor Dumbledore, have you any suggestions?"

"Thank you, Tom.I'm afraid I do not, at this point, have anything to add which you are not more than capable of thinking of yourself.I have every confidence in all of you."Dumbledore's smiling gaze swept the table, focusing on each man in turn. "I have personally know each of you since you were students at Hogwarts, and I do believe what I say."

"That brings up something I've been thinking about," Sirius said abruptly."Have you noticed that the few Pureblood supporters we have nabbed are all Slytherin graduates?It could be coincidence, but I know they talked about that nonsense back in school all the time."

"As none of us were Slytherins," Riddle said dryly, "It would be a bit prejudiced of us to make any sort of judgment along those lines.I know that we Ravenclaws never got along with them particularly well, and I'm sure you Gryffindors didn't either."

"Ah, they wouldn't like you anyway," Rookwood put in."Your father was a Muggle, after all."

"And I am quite proud of that fact; he never treated my mother badly for it, even though she didn't tell him until I was born."Riddle smiled."I remember – anyway, that doesn't matter. Sirius, can we have a report about your camp?"

Sirius frowned for the first time that evening. It was well known that he had not wanted the camp project at all."The campers arrived today.Apparently they've settled in fairly well, but I had to come down here for this meeting.Jenny's running the place right now, along with all the other leaders, of course." He shook his head."I'm just not sure about some of the kids, Minister.There were a few who I had to take – family influence – who are certain to cause trouble. Frankly, I was surprised at some of the names."

"Oh?How so?"Riddle now copied Sirius' frown.

"They're not from Muggle-friendly families, for one thing. Draco Malfoy, Lucius' son, is one of them."

"You're right; that is odd."Riddle rubbed his chin. "All right, Sirius. I think perhaps you should take some extra help."

"Excellent."Sirius' grin was restored."I'll just tap my friends here, shall I?"He nodded at Remus, James, and Frank and Arthur as well. "Frank, Arthur, you've both got kids there, so does James.Why don't you come help?And Remus, too."

"I've already used up all my time off this year," Frank began, but Riddle cut in.

"For the next month, all five of you are on assignment – at Camp Morningstar."He frowned."Who came up with the name, anyway?"

"Remember we had that contest in the Muggle papers?For kids?Name the camp, win a trip?"Sirius groaned suddenly."We got over a thousand suggestions." Frank laughed."From one kid," Sirius finished, and James and Remus joined in the laughter.

"All right," said Riddle when the laughter had died away."Unless someone has something else to bring up, this meeting is adjourned."No one did.

As they left the meeting room, James asked his friends to come with him.He led the way to his office, in another part of the building, and shut the door.

"Are you worried about something happening?" he asked Sirius. "Why'd you want back up, anyway?"

"Oh, like I said…" Sirius shrugged."Besides, three of the people who were supposed to help canceled at the last minute, so we're short handed.You two are responsible for me getting this stupid job,"

"No, we aren't," Remus contradicted him."All James did was suggest that you might be capable of –"

"Yeah, I know.That's what I meant."Sirius glanced at the clock on the wall."Anyway, it's time to go.You two had better pack.You know where we are."And he Disapparated.

_There will be more soon, I promise.This story is the result of trying to rearrange a tapestry when a single thread has been altered.Look at the shifting ripples, the patterns, the designs taken up and replaced in different, yet familiar, ways…._


	2. On the Loom

**Riddle, Tom Marvolo (1927 -)**

**…. Riddle was early recognized for his stellar talents and grasp of magical theory as well as practice. He achieved several different honors while at Hogwarts (Ravenclaw House) including being chosen Head Boy and having the highest marks in every subject his final year….**

**In 1953 he was chosen as the youngest-ever Minister of Magic, and has held that position for longer than anyone since Dodrid the Dead, whom, as his unusual moniker indicates, was actually a ghost during more than three-quarters of his service (_see Dodrid the Dead_).He ushered in a new era of wizard-Muggle cooperation, and with the full support of the International Confederation of Wizards, gradually revealed us to the Muggles.By 1986, wizards were recognized and protected in most countries, including all of Europe, North America, Australia and much of Asia and South America….**

**…Riddle has never married; his family consists of his mother, sisters, and brothers. (Father, Muggle, died in 1974).**

-**_Encyclopedia Magica, _1992 ed.**

# Camp Morningstar

"What is that dreadful wailing?" Hermione asked crossly as she, Harry, Ron and Neville hurried toward the boys' cabin.They had had an incredible amount of trouble locating it; finally Ron had planted himself in front of an adult who looked as if she knew what she was doing and demanded help.

They looked toward the cabin, where the wailing seemed to be located. Sure enough, it got louder as they got closer. Harry looked at the door sourly.

"Sounds like my sister throwing a temper tantrum," he grumbled. "Are we sure that camping with Muggles is such a good idea? Some of them I've met have been dreadful."

"That's just your mum's family, Harry, they aren't all that bad.Look at my parents," Hermione said brightly, and pushed open the door.Inside were bunks and little else.On the bunk furthest from the door was a huge, shivering, wailing lump. It emitted another wail as they entered.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked kindly."Homesick?"The lump looked up, showing a head of blond hair and a pig-like face, and Harry dropped his trunk on his foot.

"Ow!Dudley, what are you doing here?"

"Dudley?" Ron asked as the wailing started up again."Your cousin?The big Muggle lump?"

"That's him."Harry stared down in disgust."Someone tell me this was a dreadful mistake."

"Actually it wasn't, Harry," said a voice from the door. Harry, who had just picked up his trunk, dropped it again.

"Dad?Why are you here?"

"To keep an eye on you, of course."James Potter smiled down at his son."Don't worry. Sirius just needed a few extra hands and so Riddle lent him us."

"'Us'" Ron repeated."Who else?My dad?"

"Of course, Ron.And your father, Neville, and Remus."

"Yes!" said Hermione, surprising the boys."He can finish teaching me the _Nilvoxerotica _charm, to defeat banshees and sirens!"

"That's Hermione," Ron sighed in mock disgust."Always studying."

"But Dad, why is _he_ here, anyway?Surely his parents wouldn't let him come!"Harry looked pleadingly at his father. 

"Harry, you know it's the Minister's policy to educate as many Muggles as possible about our real ways.And it's Muggles like the Dursleys who need to learn the most. Riddle made a few exceptions to the usual rules in special cases, like your cousin here."He smiled grimly."Which is to say Petunia and Vernon think they've sent their son off to a camp for exceptional young people, and will be receiving letters that support this." Even Harry had to laugh, but Dudley continued to sob.This drew James' attention to him.

"You can stop that now, Dudley," he said pleasantly. "You've seen me a few times, and Harry too.Harry and his friends are going to be in here with you and Piers and Blake for the next three weeks."

"They'll hurt me, my mum said that wizards are bad," Dudley sobbed out."She said you and her sister were no-good, ungrateful troublemakers."

"Dudley," and James' face went stern, "You will not talk about wizards that way while you are here at camp, and they won't criticize Muggles.Now, Harry, you are not to hex your cousin, or his friends."

"I understand," Harry said rebelliously. He had a glint in his eye, though.

"And, you can't change cabin assignments."

"But dad, it says right here, somewhere, in this stuff that we can switch cabin arrangements for the next twenty-four hours."

"That applies to every cabin except this one, Harry."James frowned."Just try to get along, all right? It's only for the next few weeks."Then he smiled."Look, Harry, you want that Nimbus 2001, right? Your mum doesn't think you need one, but I think you can get one… if you behave yourself.Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do."Harry looked a bit more cheerful.James nodded.

"I'll just leave you to get acquainted with your roommates, then."He turned and left.

"Great," said Ron, dropping his trunk by a bunk."What a summer this is going to be. And it's not like I'm going to get a broom, no is it?"He sighed.Neville sat on the bunk next to him, and Harry shoved his trunk next to Ron's.

"I'll take the top bunk, Ron… you can use my broom if I get it, ok?"

Hermione harrumphed."I'll just be going then.Mind what your dad said about the Muggles, Harry."She turned and left.

"Hey, wait," Ron called, but she didn't listen.

_Somewhere in England…._

_ _

It was a shadowy room, the sort of room where you could see shapes and outlines, but not details. Four men were in that room, in various positions; oddly enough there did not seem to be a door.

"Are your operatives in place, Lestrange?" the standing man asked.One of the others nodded.

"We're ready at your signal." 

"Good." There was a suggestion of a smile, not a nice one, on his face, even in the gloom. "My son and several other young people dedicated to our cause are in that camp already.They must move first, and they will as soon as I give the signal."

"Malfoy, I think it's dangerous," a third voice suggested. "There are some powerful wizards there already – and if Riddle finds out, we've got no chance."

"Leave the worrying to me, Multravers."Malfoy stared down at the man contemptuously."You've always been a naysayer, and you've been wrong."He turned away, his voice passionate."For too long our blood has been polluted by those Mudblood scum, and now Riddle's making it worse! Muggles mixing with us, knowing about us, living with us – it will mean the end of wizard kind as we know it if we do not do something. Do you want your children raised in that kind of world?Would you like that daughter of yours to marry a Mudblood – or a Muggles?"

"Now Malfoy, let's not be crude," Multravers began, but Malfoy ignored him.

"That's where we'll end, you know.Every single one of us, our noble lines will be polluted. We cannot let that happen.Now, are you with me or not?"He whirled suddenly on Multravers, who gulped.

"O – of course I am, Lucius."

"Good."Malfoy turned to the only man who had not yet spoken."And you?Are you ready?"

"I am."The man stood and stepped out of the darkest shadows. His dark, greasy hair and hooked nose were obvious even in the dim light. "I am ready, Lucius."

"Excellent, Severus.I think we're ready for step two."

# Camp Morningstar, again

"I saw Harry and his friends."James Potter closed the door of the 'administrative office'; really, it was just another cabin, but with desks rather than bunks. 

"Ah.Was he surprised?"Sirius looked up from the desk where he was sitting.

"Yes, but more surprised by his bunkmates.Sirius, you made the cabin assignments, didn't you?"

"He had some help in that."James turned to see the door open again.Jenny shut it. "I posted the rules on all the bulletin boards, Sirius, and you can read them at dinner.Why were you asking, James?"

"I thought someone with a perverse sense of humor made the arrangements for Harry's cabin."James grinned."Which one of you was that?"

"That was me."Sirius admitted. "I'd met your in-laws, James, and I knew that with anyone else, that Muggle would end up dead in three days.At least Harry should have a sense of family duty, I assume."

"He does now."James shook his head."I told him he wasn't permitted to hex his cousin, and that I'd get him a new broom if he behaves."

"Doesn't Lily think he's got a good enough broom now?" Jenny asked. "I thought that was why he got a chess set and socks for his birthday. Sirius wanted to get him a broom," and she shot her husband a look, "but I said we'd best not."

"Well, I think I can get around her.If he keeps up his end of the bargain," James amended.

"Ten galleons says he can't," Sirius wagered. "We wouldn't have, at his age."

"I think he will.I'll take that bet."James sat down on a chair."Loser pays up last day of this camp?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Wait," Jenny protested."You're betting, James, on whether or not your son will obey you?"

"No, we're betting on whether he wants a broom more than he will want to hex his cousin," Sirius said."Nothing wrong with that."

"You're both impossible!" Jenny said."I have to go make sure the infirmary is stocked, anyway.I'll see you both later."She turned and left.

Many, many thanks to the reviewers. This piece is up a little earlier than I thought, but the next won't be as quick; please have patience.To everyone who told me they were glad to see Jenny, I couldn't easily keep her out, and she shouldn't be too important, just another strand in this ever-changing tapestry.

**Next time: will Malfoy move?Will Riddle do something about him?Is Snape evil?Will Sirius win his bet? With Gilderoy Lockhart as guest lecturer – if I can arrange it!**

**Reviewing makes me love you!**


	3. The Unfolding Pattern

"Camp Morningstar is a one of a kind camping experience

"Camp Morningstar is a one of a kind camping experience. Here, wizard and Muggle young people will mingle and interact, learning more about each other and themselves in the process.It is to be hoped that they will learn tolerance and acceptance of each other from their unique experiences here at camp.

**"The camp is a joint venture between the Ministry of Magic and the newly-formed International Muggle-Wizard Relations Facilitation Council, a primarily Muggle organization. Both have expressed hopes for the success of the camp, and plans for similar camps in Asia and North America are being formed right now."**

-From the introduction to _Camp Morningstar: A Camper's Guide_. (Not written by Sirius Black or any else who actually plans to work at the camp.)

Camp Morningstar, August 9, 1993

"This stupid camp is all your fault, Harry," Neville grumbled the second morning they were there.They had woken up to find Dudley and his friends, Piers and Blake.

"My fault?How could it be my fault?"Harry pulled his shirt over his head and stared at Neville. "Did I ask to come here?"

"No, but if your dad hadn't asked mine to send me, I wouldn't be here."Neville was already dressed and seated on the bunk.Ron hadn't yet gotten out of his bed, but he groaned and rolled over.

"Nev'l, it's Sirius Black's fault," he said sleepily. "He's the one who organized this whole thing."

"Because Riddle told him too, that's why," Harry said, defending his godfather."I heard him talking with my dad weeks ago, saying how much he did not want to run this stupid camp."

"It is a stupid camp," Ron agreed."Why don't we just ask if we can start Hogwarts a few weeks early this year?"

"Let's not even think about school," Harry groaned, locating a sock from under the bunk. "Hurry up or my fat cousin will have eaten the whole mess hall." He shoved Ron out of bed.

"Ow!You didn't need to do that, Harry!"

"Come on, or the food will be gone," Harry repeated."Anyway, I wanted to see if Dad will let us out of baseball today.Whose idea were the Muggle sports, anyway?"

~~

"Whose idea was it to let the Beaters play baseball, anyway?" Madame Pomfrey grumbled as she healed bumps and cuts."They're too dangerous to let near clubs and balls, not when there are Muggles around."

"Bats," Jenny corrected as she bandaged Parvati Patil's scraped knee."And the wizard kids just don't seem to understand the concept of 'sliding', either."

"Well, someone's going to come in with more than a scraped knee or a bruised head sooner or later," Pomfrey predicated dryly. "There, you're done.Run along."

"Only twelve more days left," Jenny sighed when the infirmary was empty."Then we can go back to fighting pureblood supremacists and such."

"Yes, did you ever find out why the Potters were attacked?"

"According to our spy, it's because James married Lily. She's Muggleborn, and the Potters are a very old wizarding family." Jenny shook her head."Apparently they hate that almost as much as wizard-Muggle marriages."

"It's ridiculous, really," Madame Pomfrey sniffed."My grandmother, for one, was a Muggle, and I know most other wizards have Muggle blood in them not too far back."

"Yes, or we'd die out."Jenny sighed."Most pureblood families just don't have enough children to carry on.Look at the Malfoys, there's only one son in that family.And then you have big families like the Weasleys who couldn't care less about that pureblood nonsense." She put away the supplies the two women had been using."I've got to go now, the chess tournament has started and I'll be needed to judge matches."

"Then what?After lunch, I mean."

"Oh, there's some guest lecturer, a monster hunter, I believe."Jenny frowned in concentration."Loveheart, Lockheed – Lockhart, that's who."

"Gilderoy Lockhart?Wrote a load of books?"

"That sounds right.I've got to be off now, but I'll see you at lunch."

"I may have to attend this lecture myself; some of the books had rather curious errors and I'd like to ask Lockhart a few questions," Pomfrey said to an empty room.

~~

"Greetings, campers, wizards and Muggles alike.I am Gilderoy Lockhart, and my list of honors is too long to list here, though you can find it on the back of the brochure for my books you've all received. I'm sure all you wizard boys and girls know me, and feel free to ask for autographs afterwards, but for you Muggles, well, you have a real treat in store for you today!I'm going to be talking about monsters, the sort that I fight all the time. You have my word that every word of this speech is true – and nobody doubts Gilderoy Lockhart's words! 

"To begin, I'm going to tell you about the time I met a werewolf in broad daylight, coming down the street.He was only partially transformed, as the moon was not yet full, but still extremely dangerous. People all around were cowering and screaming; I of course took no notice.Then I saw that the beast had trapped a small girl in a telephone booth.With no regard for personal safety, I plunged in, hemlock in one hand and sword in the other-"

"Hold on," came an anonymous voice from the crowd."Werewolves don't transform in broad daylight, and it's wolfsbane, not hemlock."The crowd shifted uneasily in their seats. Gilderoy Lockhart was at the front, on stage, at a podium.Behind him sat several adults who were supposed to keep order in this session.Madame Pomfrey sat watching attentively between Remus Lupin, who had a faint smile on his face, and a Muggle. Lockhart seemed to recover quickly from the criticism.

"Did I misspeak? I meant wolfsbane, of course.Please refrain from interrupting.As I was saying, I defeated the werewolf easily. Too easily; he fled and moments later returned with his accomplices, a vampire and a hag mounted on a hippogriff. They surrounded me.Thankfully the streets were now clear and I had no fear of collateral damage, so I laid about me with varied difficult spells and not a few blows from my fists. I slew the hag easily-"

"Now wait," another voice chimed in."Vampires in daylight?I don't think so.My dad was a vampire hunter years ago, and vampires don't come out in broad daylight.And hags don't ride hippogriffs; they're frightened of heights."

"You're a fraud!" someone else said. Other voices chimed in.

"Mr. Lockhart, there have been at least twenty factual errors in your talk," Hermione began, hardly audible over the crowd.She shoved her way toward the front, the boys in tow, the pamphlet listing Lockhart's books in one hand."I've noted down most of them – my pen ran out of ink a minute ago – and perhaps you could explain them?"

"Indeed, Mr. Lockhart." The room was quiet now, so everyone could hear Remus speak."I have quite extensive knowledge of dark creatures, and have found your books to be riddled with mistakes, fabrications, and outright lies. Perhaps you would care to explain?"

"Nonsense!" Lockhart said, but his face had lost most of its color."You people simply do not know as much about such creatures as I.There are many things a book cannot teach, you know."

"You're just lying!" Ron declared loudly."I don't believe a word of it!"After that the uproar was so loud that no individual could be heard.Lockhart was hustled off the stage by several adults, to loud boos and hisses from the crowd.After a bit one of the camp aides came out and told everyone that the afternoon session was canceled and they could do as they wished.

"Well, that was interesting," Neville remarked as they left."Care for a game of Quidditch, Harry?Ron?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I promised my bunkmates – the Muggle ones – an explanation of our social and political structure," Hermione began."Now would be an excellent time to educate Muggles about our kind."

"Hermione, in case you've forgotten, our bunkmates are Harry's cousin and his friends," Ron said."They won't listen, even if we did want to waste time with those louts."

"Oh, well said," Neville remarked, punching Ron on the shoulder."Come on, let's go swimming."

"Hmph."Hermione trounced off in a snit.

"She just doesn't understand the point of the summer holidays," Ron sighed after her, theatrically."Last one in the lake is a Slytherin!"

~~

"Right, now who's idea was it to have that joker lecture?"James looked at Sirius, who was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Yours?"

"Not this time, Prongs.His name was on a list of suggested guest speakers I got months ago, and he was the only one who could actually make it, so I invited him.How was I to know he was a complete fraud?"

"Reading his books did it for me," Remus said, coming in in time to hear the last few words."Didn't know he was speaking here until yesterday or I'd have asked you about him."

"Let me guess," James said shrewdly, sitting down."You didn't bother to read his books."

"No, I didn't.I haven't had any time," Sirius pointed out."This blasted camp – I'm going to tell Riddle that if he ever wants to do this again he'd better find someone else.And that's even if we don't have any real problems."

"Have you heard any rumors or anything?" James asked sharply, leaning forward in his chair.

"Not really, just the usual."

"That's a relief."But he was still obviously worried."Well, if the worst we get is a few wizards playing practical jokes on the Muggles…"

"Oh, you heard about this morning?"

"No.What?" 

Sirius grinned."A couple of boys woke up floating about three feet above the ground. The shouts were enough to wake up most of their neighbors, but the culprits – their bunkmates - apparently slept right through it. Turns out they'd been knocked out by some Muggle sleeping potion, something like that.Apparently this cabin is having problems with our "Let's all be friends" policy."Sirius sat down."So they're making friends over the dishes, on kitchen patrol together for the next three days."

"Good.Anyone we know involved in this?"

"No, thankfully.I'm still sure that Harry's cabin is going to have problems, though."

"You might be right.I came across Dudley and his friends earlier complaining about how dreadful this camp is and how much they hate wizards.They didn't see me."James now grinned as well."They got their dessert privileges revoked."

"Hmm.Your nephew could use some of that," Sirius said."Anyway, you see there's nothing specific I can go to Riddle with, but I just have this feeling anyway."

"So do I, to tell the truth.We'll just keep our eyes open and hope for the best."James sighed and the grin faded. "When this is all over, I'm taking a long break from the Ministry and relaxing."

Sirius nodded his assent slowly."Me too."

Oh, gosh, it's been forever.Sorry, guys, but I got a huge dose of real life back there.Hopefully the next piece will be more prompt, but I don't know as I'm getting a summer job and don't know my hours yet….

**_ _**

**_It's not up to the quality of the last piece but I needed just one piece before the real stuff starts to build up suspense.Next time, death threats, kidnappings, explosions, and a Draco Malfoy who will never wear leather pants. Or at least three of those four.I promise._**


End file.
